The Wicked Wand (The Lion and the Serpent, 1)
by amarulence
Summary: Arabella Hagrid and Margot Malfoy are starting their first year at Hogwarts. When Margot slips away in search of a dangerous, thought-to-be-lost relic, hoping to prove herself, need brings her to Arabella's door. They embark on a risky quest, that involves an enchanted forest, magical creatures, unexpected friendships and a wicked wand.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

At King´s Cross station, a particularly small, dark-haired girl was walking next to a rather large man; they were both shaking, one with giddy excitement and one with fear and nostalgy, as he couldn't help but remember a certain scarred, skinny boy walking down the same path with him so many years ago.

The girl kept standing on her tiptoes, sweeping the crowd with her gaze. She recognized a lot of the faces that she used to watch every day at the school grounds, and she let out a wide smile as she realized that now she was finally one of them.

"Have you seen them, Hagrid?" the girl asked.

He opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it and just pointed to their right, where the three kids he once watched grow up were standing alongside their families. He looked at her amusedly as she spotted a brown-eyed boy carrying his luggage and a mischievous grin grew on her face.

The little girl started running towards them, and as she got closer, the first one to notice her was the boy with disheveled hair that at the sight of her couldn't help but smile brightly and open his arms to engulf her in a big, warm hug.

"I missed you, James!" she cried.

The boy let out a musical laugh and said, "I just saw you last week, Arabella."

"Shut up," she playfully punched his shoulder, as she started registering little sniffles coming from behind her. She turned around and out of the corner of her eye she saw James waving awkwardly at the crying Hagrid before leaving them alone. "C'mon, Hagrid. You're going to see me everyday."

"It's just that… Yer so… Big now!" He started sobbing uncontrollably, "I just can't help but feel like you don't need me anymore. You're going to leave me anytime now."

"What are you talking about?" she asked indignantly, "You're my papa, I'll never leave you! Besides, I'm only moving a few yards away, the Gryffindor tower isn't that far from the hut."

"Gryffindor? Hmm… I like the sound of that," Ron piped in, getting scolded by Hermione, while her friend Albus was slowly walking away from the group, with a faraway look in his eyes. Arabella vaguely noticed Harry following his youngest son silently, while Ginny looked on approvingly.

"Don't worry, Uncle Hagrid, I'll keep an eye on her," James grinned, putting an arm around Arabella's tiny frame.

"I don't need you to take care of me," she proudly replied. "I can easily do that on my own, thank you very much."

Suddenly, Hermione looked at her phone with an alarming look and proceeded to usher the kids to the train. The rest of the parents gave their last goodbyes and Hagrid let out a final sob before the soon-to-be-students climbed up the train.

"Where's Albus?" Rose asked, a few seconds after they all settled in a compartment. As if summoned, the green-eyed boy stumbled into a seat with a small, hopeful smile on his face.

"What's gotten into you?" James inquired.

"A sudden craving for chocolate frogs," Arabella hopefully intervened. "I'm going to go get some now. Anyone wanna join me?"

Albus kindly declined, whereas James instantly jumped out of his seat with a sudden crazy look. Chocolate frogs were his favorite.

"Race you, Hagrid!" James yelled, getting a headstart.

"You're on, Potter!" she shot back while catching up to him.

In their haste to beat each other, James almost toppled over the trolley, and Arabella stumbled into a certain platinum-haired girl, her overall appearance so shiny that it hurt her eyes. She had the kind of presence that made everyone unconsciously flock to her, that made heads turn as she walked by.

"Merlin's beard! This isn't a bloody race track! Watch where you're going," she sneered. The illusion shattered as soon as she opened her mouth. Arabella's eyes widened in surprise; she considered telling her off, but she didn't want to make a scene before she even got to Hogwarts. So instead of replying, she just watched her strut away.

"What's got her wand in a knot?" Arabella muttered under her breath.

"Don't bother with her, she's a Malfoy," James told her.

She instantly remembered the countless times Harry had mentioned his old school nemesis, Draco. She half-heartedly hoped his kid didn't turn out so much like him. Recalling one of papa's favorite stories, she chuckled and said, "I hope she stays away from any hippogriffs."

"Speaking of, I'm so hungry I could eat a whole pack of 'em."

"Quiet now, you're starting to sound like a mandrake with all your whining," she jokingly replied and finally turned to the trolley lady and ordered two chocolate frogs.

"Can I have your card?" said James while stuffing his mouth with candy. "I've already got my father, which is kind of weird, to be honest."

"First of all, mind your manners; it's rude to speak with your mouth full," she scolded, ripping open her own package. When she didn't continue, James looked over her shoulder at her card and saw the picture of a man in a knitted vest, smiling warmly up at her.

"Look, it's Neville!" he exclaimed. "Please let me have it—I've been waiting to have him for so long," he whined.

"Fine," she sighed and gave it to him. "You can have it, mandrake," they started down the corridor toward their compartment.

"I'm so thankful, my chizpurfle," he playfully bowed.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" she asked for the umpteenth time.

"But it's cute!"

"It's a bloody parasite!"

"It's an _adorable_ parasite," he winked. She ignored him and stomped forward.

"What's the matter?" asked Albus when they got back.

"Just your brother being his charming self," Arabella sarcastically muttered.

"Nice to know that you find me charming," he smirked. "Just don't keep me all to yourself. Remember, I'm nothing if not shareable."

Before Arabella got her punch in, the door slid open to reveal a rather tall, pale boy. His eyes were like thunderclouds, piercing and cold. He walked with graciousness, confidence radiating off him, making Arabella think of a peacock. He was the kind of boy that intimidated people without even having to look at them. _What's_ _up with so many blondies today?_ , she thought to herself.

"Blond hair, fancy clothes," Rose sneered. "You must be a Malfoy."

"There's another one?" Arabella asked, filled with dread.

"I take it you've met my sister Margot," the new kid sighed. "She's an... acquired taste." he continued carefully.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's the sweet-on-the-outside,-sour-on-the-inside type," James joked.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Rose asked.

"Well, this was the only compartment that seemed quiet enough to enjoy the ride,"

he shrugged.

"A Malfoy looking for quiet?" Rose raised an eyebrow, "That's odd…"

"Don't call me Malfoy, the name's Scorpius."

"Well, _Scorpius_ , you'll have to excuse me, but I'm so tired, I could be casted as Sleeping Beauty," Arabella said and promptly laid her head on James's lap.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Scorpius's mutter went ignored by everyone.

"Wake me up when it's time to change," Arabella continued; as she drifted off to sleep, a rather awkward conversation arose between the kids.

"So what house do you think you'll get sorted into?" Albus shyly asked as Scorpius took a seat beside him.

"I'm sure I'll get into Slytherin," the Malfoy boy dryly replied.

"How could you be so sure?" Albus curiously inquired.

"All my family has been in Slytherin, it's kind of the Malfoy pride," he rolled his eyes. "So there's no getting out of it, not that I'm complaining though. All the other houses are lame."

"Excuse me, you're talking to a Gryffindor here," James indignantly interrupted.

"And Ravenclaw is a great house to be in... or so I've read," said Rose.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Scorpius drawled, "Slytherin still's the greatest house."

"The greatest for gits you mean," as the words left James' mouth, wariness arose in Albus, making him wonder about his older brother's reaction in the event that he actually got sorted into Slytherin.

"Do you think the same applies to us?" Albus asked timidly.

"What do you mean?"

"As Potters… do you believe we'll all be in Gryffindor?"

"Well, of course. Gryffindor's common room password might as well be 'Potter'," his laughter didn't last long, as he saw the look of mischief that had appeared on Scorpius's face.

When the Gryffindor noticed his suspicious stare, he asked, "What?" with a raised eyebrow. The blond just shrugged innocently. James opened his mouth to snap at him, but then thought better of it and, maybe for the first time in his life -and probably because of the girl sleeping on his lap-, he chose not to pick a fight and said nothing.

"Oh, zip it, Scorpius. Better stay down in the dungeons, where you belong," Rose snapped for him.

"Mind your manners, will you?" he drawled.

Rose rolled her eyes and pulled out a book from her bag, ignoring the blond boy in front of her.

"So… Albus, have you ever wondered how it would feel?" Scorpius asked, "Being a Slytherin, I mean?"

"Er… me?" He glanced nervously at James, who was absentmindedly gazing out the window, and gulped, "No, why would I?"

"Just wondering," He shrugged nonchalantly.

And the rest of the ride went by quietly and peacefully, until the current Head girl popped in to tell them to change, since they were close to Hogwarts.

James gently woke Arabella up, and with a rather messy bed hair, she shrieked, "Are we there yet?" Scorpius got startled at the sudden noise, making James chuckle.

"Almost there, chizpurfle. Your dreams are about to come true," he solemnly claimed. Arabella let out an excited squeal and started digging through her trunk for her robes.

"I can't believe it James, after all of this time just watching, I actually get a chance to be one of them… an actual Hogwarts student," she happily exclaimed while grabbing her stuff. "Gryffindor, here I come!" as she said that, she closed the door of the compartment and made her way to the bathroom.

"She's as intense as they come," James sighed. "Well, I'll better get going myself, my dashing looks aren't achieved easily, after all. See ya."

"So I guess it's time, right?" Albus's voice quivered.

"Yes, it is, Albus," Rose exclaimed, sure of herself. "Ready to follow on our parents' footsteps?"

"As ready as I'll ever be…"

As soon as they heard the rumble of Rubeus's voice, the kids quickly found their way to the front.

"Hey, papa," Arabella grinned.

The half-giant playfully glared at her and said, "It's _Professor_ Hagrid for you, missy," and winked. Then he raised his voice so every first year could hear him and bellowed, "Okay everyone, get in the boats in groups of four!"

Arabella, Albus and Rose got on a boat. Scorpius looked for his sister, but he noticed she had already made some friends, and, seeing no other choice, reluctantly got on the boat with the same people he had shared the train ride.

The slow trip to the school was the best time Arabella had ever had; she was surrounded by her closest friends -minus James, and a rather unimpressed-looking platinum blond- and was about to start a magical year she'd been waiting for nearly all her life. Even though she had the whole castle committed to memory, she felt as though it was the first time she was seeing it.

If it were up to her, she'd have stayed in the lake all night, watching the stars and moonlight illuminate the castle; unfortunately, nobody shared the sentiment, and it was too soon when they had to disembark the boats and climb up the path to the main doors.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

The dreaded moment had finally arrived: the sorting ceremony. Arabella had spent all her life wondering how this moment would go. Ever since she was just a toddler, she would look through the windows of the hut, wishing that one day it would be her wearing those long, black robes. The same ones she was wearing in that moment.

As they entered the Great Hall, she waved at the friends she had made throughout her years in the castle; she also noticed the eldest Potter boy winking at her from afar, and grinned back at him. Although she had friends in the four tables, it was clear most of them were in the Gryffindor one. While she admired people from all the houses, she had decided long ago that she would try her hardest to sit in the red and gold crowd.

When she was 8, she'd started thinking in which house she'd fit in the most, so she started a schedule. Every week, she'd spend time only with one house - she did this for 3 months. Finally, though she made lifelong friends from each house, she decided she belonged in Gryffindor. The traits she found she admired most in a person were bravery, loyalty and passion; ergo, from then on she tried to develop those traits in herself, so the Sorting Hat would choose without hesitation.

The first task she assigned to herself was to feed Hagrid's hippogriff, Nimbletalon. She'd always refused to come close to it whenever Rubeus encouraged her to, since she thought it'd bite her hand off, after hearing the famous Malfoy story. The first time she got near it, she willed herself not to cry, and bowed shakily. After several moments where the hippogriff seemed to judge her intentions, it finally bowed back. She then proceeded to step closer and extend her hand with a piece of meat, which Nimbletalon snatched hungrily; she flinched instinctively, and did so the following times she fed him. It was about 20 ferrets and 7 small birds laters that she dared to pet him, and a few more months before she actually rode him. After that, she never feared an animal again, and developed a motherly love for all creatures.

With this in mind, she raised her head high, confident in herself to be worthy enough to be in Gryffindor. If she could overcome the terror of being eaten by an animal 5 times her size, she could easily beat the insecurity of not being sorted into the lion house.

While listening to the Hat's same song she had heard about a thousand times - her papa had always sneaked her in since she was old enough to comprehend words - she could feel Albus shaking next to her. The poor boy seemed close to fainting, and she didn't really understand why, it was almost certain that he would be sorted into Gryffindor - he _was_ a Potter, after all.

"Albus, are you okay?" she asked softly. He didn't seem to hear her, so she nudged him gently. He jumped and barely contained a scream.

"I'm just nervous, that's all," he said in almost a whisper, "I'm kind of scared I'll end up alone with Malfoy in Slytherin."

"Don't worry, you wouldn't be alone with him," Arabella answered, "you'll also get Miss Sympathy over there with you," she stated while looking at Margot Malfoy laughing with the rest of the sure-to-be-Slytherin girls.

"Thanks, Ara," Albus said with even more anxiety in his voice, "thanks a lot," she couldn't help but grin devilishly at him.

The song went on quite smoothly, and soon enough McGonagall started calling out the first year's names.

"Fernández, Mauricio," McGonagall called. A tan, dark-haired boy went up to the stool. The headmistress placed on his curls the ancient hat, which immediately yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" The boy smiled widely and skipped towards his table amidst the roaring applauses.

"Granger-Weasley, Rose," the ginger girl walked forward confidently and sat down with a calm expression on her face.

"And yet another Weasley…" the Sorting Hat stated, "but, quite a different one I must say, you seem to have more wits than average," everyone was waiting expectantly to hear which house she'll end up sorted into, until the magical object finally decided, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Said table erupted in applause, excited to have the daughter of two Hogwarts legends amongst them. Arabella silently hoped to be received with as much excitement as Rose.

" _Hagrid, Arabella_."

For a second her heart stopped. She suddenly felt like a little girl again, so small and tiny walking along those large corridors, and she remembered the way she felt when she first entered the Great Hall, amazed by the greatness it held within its four walls, the stories and battles that took place in them, such a long time ago.

She noticed tears streaming down her papa's face, so she smiled at him, in a way thanking him for everything he had done that brought her this far. She sat down on the stool as McGonagall placed the hat on her head. Finally, the moment had arrived.

"Oh dear, aren't you all bits and pieces?" the Hat hummed. Arabella uncomfortably shifted on her seat, "A lot of thought you've given to this I see, but surely a certain house stands out the most to you, am I right?" Arabella gulped.

"I-" she stuttered. But then she thought of everything she had done to be worthy of the lion, and she cleared her throat and said firmly, "I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Determined, are you?" it murmured. "All right, then. I suppose you already know where you belong… GRYFFINDOR!" the girl deflated with a breath she hadn't noticed she had been holding. She rose from the stool as the Hat was being removed from her head and she immediately spotted the black curls of her best friend bouncing up and down as he jumped from his seat at the Gryffindor table, ready to engulf her in a hug.

"I never doubted it, chizpurfle, you truly are a lion," he beamed.

"Don't you think it's time to drop the nickname?" she tried to scowl, but she was so happy she just smiled brightly at him.

"You wish," they laughed and sat side by side.

After several more kids were sorted, came the Malfoys. It was no surprise the Sorting Hat barely touched their heads before it bellowed, "SLYTHERIN!"

The unexpected came when McGonagall called Albus forward.

The scrawny boy sat carefully on the stool, waiting for a comment from the hat, like his dad had told him it did with him. Although before he had a chance to open his mouth, the Sorting Hat yelled, not unlike before, "SLYTHERIN!"

Everyone went quiet.

Nobody dared move, absolutely shocked. They kept at it for several moments, expecting against their better judgement for the magical object to somehow correct the obvious mistake. Thus, nothing of the sort happened. The hat remained quiet, awaiting the next student, while Albus stayed petrified to the spot, a blank expression on his face; he couldn't process what had happened - he was living his nightmare.

Then, a white head arose from the boy's soon-to-be house's table, and stepped up to the stool. The Malfoy girl grabbed his hand and wordlessly led him to their table, placing him next to her, and in front of Scorpius. A few seconds later, everyone remembered to clap, though it was rather scattered.

After he sat down next to Margot he couldn't help but glance up to the Gryffindor table, where he met Arabella's surprised eyes, but James's wouldn't meet his. His greatest concern for the moment wasn't the way the next 7 years would go by, but instead the way his family would react to the news. Everyone was so sure that he would get sorted into Gryffindor. James would constantly talk about the pranks that they'd pull on Slytherins, and as the thought crossed his mind, him being one of the people that his older brother loathed, Albus couldn't help but tear up a little. His only comfort was Margot's hand softly reaching for his under the table. He squeezed it, and she squeezed back, though she let go right away.

The Slytherin table, though wary at first, eventually started to warm up - as much as a slytherin was able to - to their new addition, strange as it might've been.

McGonagall then stood up and put her wand to her throat, "Settle down, students," her voice boomed across the hall, "Welcome to a new school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you're all ready to start your new courses, and for the first years, I give you all my best wishes, hopefully soon enough you'll find yourselves calling this castle your home. As for now, let the feast begin!"

A hand suddenly raised between the red and gold robes, "Wait!" McGonagall blinked, perplexed. "Yes, Mr. Fernández?" he cleared his throat, "Uh, what's the wifi password?" At this, several heads - all muggleborns - perked their heads, immediately interested.

The headmistress sighed, " _Bobtail cat_ ," he grinned and gave her a thumbs-up, while every pureblood in the room tried to decipher just what, exactly, was a _wifi_.

And _then_ the food appeared, and it was glorious.

Albus was too stressed to touch his food, so he just emptily stared at his plate while everyone else was digging in.

"C'mon, Potter, it's no good crying over spilt potion," a smug Scorpius Malfoy was definitely not what he needed right now. Albus was close to telling him off when a voice cut in.

"Stop it, Scorpius," Margot rolled her eyes. "You're being obnoxious."

"Oh, I'm sorry, sis," he drawled, "I didn't realize you'd taken the crybaby under your wing."

"I haven't, not that it's any of your business," she snapped. Albus just stared at his plate awkwardly.

"I wasn't crying," he defended himself softly.

"Pardon me," Scorpius feigned innocence, "I can't hear you over your desperate cries of despair," Albus scowled.

"Are you always such an asshole?"

"Embracing your inner Slytherin already, are you?" the blond smirked. This time, the Potter boy decided it was best to just ignore him. He looked to his left, hoping to start a conversation with his unexpected savior, but she was already laughing with Peony Parkinson, a dark-haired girl with deep, green eyes. It was becoming more and more apparent that he would really have to make more of an effort to fit in with these kids. He sighed and started eating, knowing that otherwise he'd regret it late into the night.

Meanwhile, the eldest Potter boy was feeling the same way as his little brother, not able to take a single bite of the huge feast in front of him. He still couldn't believe the Sorting Hat's decision, there was no way Albus could be in Slytherin. James was still trying to figure out what was it, what had the Hat seen in his brother in a single _second_ , that he hadn't been able to notice in 11 years.

"Don't make this bigger than it is, please," Arabella begged him, snapping him out of his daze.

"What are you talking about?" It was easily noticeable that the spark in his voice was gone, replaced by sorrow and confusion.

"Albus being in Slytherin," she stated, "Nothing needs to change - he's still Albus, after all." James stayed quiet. "Don't make it harder on him than it already is," she muttered as she glanced at the boy sitting in the Slytherin table, clearly struggling to remain calm. James sighed.

"Sorry, it's just…" he struggled for words.

"I know," she cut in, "Believe me, I understand," he looked up at her and gave her a small smile of gratitude.

"At least you and Rose are here," he said.

"Yes, but that leaves _him_ alone with the albino cockatrices," she replied sourly. James couldn't help but let out a loud laugh.

"Remind me again, what are those?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Basically a rooster with a lizard's tail," she told him with a small, mischievous smile.

"You think she fancies him?" the boy who asked for the wifi password butted in their conversation, like they were long-lost friends, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

James frowned, "Who?"

"The hot chick," he said.

"You mean Margot?" the Potter boy asked surprised. Arabella rose her eyebrows at his quick guess.

"Yup." Rose, who was between the boy and Arabella, scoffed at that.

"Yeah, right. They probably consider it sacrilegious to associate with any Potters - or Grangers, for that matter," she rolled her eyes.

"Then why did she help him?" the boy, clearly a muggleborn, asked confused.

"Probably a part of some dark, secret plan to humiliate him," James said skeptically.

"Damn, mate. That'd be harsh," the boy whistled.

"By the way, who are you?" Rose enquired, not unkindly.

"Oh, right. I'm Mau," he brightened, "And you, O knowledgeable people?"

"I'm Rose," she smiled, "she's Arabella and he's James," she pointed at each one respectively. "By the way, where are you from? You have a sort of heavy accent."

"I'm from Mexico," his smile turned wistful, "Oh, how I miss home."

"Seriously? That's so cool!" James exclaimed, his eyes widening. "I don't think we've ever had a latin here before."

"Yeah, my folks wanted a change of scenery, so we moved to London last year," he explained while stuffing his face with some roast beef.

"So you speak mexican?" James wondered with awe. Mau dropped the roast beef, looking so wounded and disappointed he felt like Simon Cowell in his mum's favorite show. Arabella and Rose shared a chagrined look on James's behalf.

"Spanish, mate. I speak spanish. Don't go all Trump on me," he said.

"Oh, right. Sorry, mate. Anyway, say something in mex - spanish," he requested. Mau sighed.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Hmm, say 'I like tacos very much'."

" _Me gustaría embarrarte un taco con salsa habanero en la cara_ ," Mau grinned. James nodded approvingly.

"Awesome."


End file.
